MPs spit fire on claims by Tango

By Usu-emma Sindila

23rd November 2010

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Rita Mlaki, Anna Abdallah: We were fairly picked through CCM

Rita Mlaki

Anna Abdallah

CCM special seat members of parliaments through non-governmental organizations have asked the Tanzania Association of non-governmental organizations (Tango) to keep quiet as it does not know the procedures of picking representatives for parliament.

Reacting to the issue yesterday MPs for the position, Rita Mlaki and Anna Abdallah said they did not understand what Tango was fighting for.

Tango claimed that it was not involved in picking the two special seat MPs, said to represent NGOs in parliament.

In a telephone interview with this paper yesterday, Mlaki (MP) rubbished the Tango objections, advising Tango to ‘shut up’ and if not, join CCM to be picked to represent NGOs.

“I was selected by CCM women wing (UWT) and CCM under the category of NGOs and those who claim that they do not recognise me, should register themselves with the party and it’s women wing to be picked in other nominations,” shouted Rita.

She further said that CCM women wing felt the need for women NGOs to have someone to represent and speak for them and decided to establish the category. The nominees were supposed to be members of CCM women wing and the party,” she added.

“This procedures does not include all NGOs; only those dealing with women’s welfare and are registered,” she said.

Mlaki said those who claimed that they were not involved should know the procedures before making any complaints which are unnecessary.

“CCM women wing chairperson and her team travelled all over the country encouraging women to apply for the post, but only seven aspirants came forward,” she explained adding: “The nominee must be an active member of CCM women wing and CCM with a good history.”

Mlaki stressed that she was planning to knock at Tango and the Tanzania Media Women Association (Tamwa) offices for a chat with them, to listen to what they have in mind for her to present them in parliament.

“But these allegations have disappointed me,” she said.

Rita said that her own NGO knowns as Neema Education Development Trust which owns a school and a fund which supports girl’s education gave her a chance to represent NGOs in Parliament.

For her part, Anna Abdallah, dismissed Tango complaints as misplaced.

“I was chosen by CCM NGOs. To which party do their NGOs belong?” asked Anna Abdallah.

“I am a UWT and CCM member and I was selected on the UWT platform to represent NGOs. I don’t understand where those allegations came from,” she said.

Tango Policy and Advocacy officer, Ngunga Tepani alleged that as an apex body of NGOs, it was not involved in the selection of the two MPs, claiming he did not understand which NGOs the two CCM special seats MPs represented.

“We are not informed of the process of getting special seats candidates from NGOs, which are members of Tango. Maybe they were picked from NGOs owned by the ruling party,” said Tepani, adding:

“In short, we don’t recognise them (Rita Mlaki and Anna Abdallah) because they were nominated without involving the NGOs.”

Meanwhile former Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) chairperson for women council, Leticia Ghati Musori has defected to the NCCR-Mageuzi, claiming that her former party leaders did not work out a fair system of picking candidates for the women special seats. She blamed the party’s top leaders for distorting the whole democratic process of getting the candidates in the party.

CCM special seat members of parliaments through non-governmental organizations have asked the Tanzania Association of non-governmental organizations (Tango) to keep quiet as it does not know the procedures of picking representatives for parliament.

Reacting to the issue yesterday MPs for the position, Rita Mlaki and Anna Abdallah said they did not understand what Tango was fighting for.

Tango claimed that it was not involved in picking the two special seat MPs, said to represent NGOs in parliament.

In a telephone interview with this paper yesterday, Mlaki (MP) rubbished the Tango objections, advising Tango to ‘shut up’ and if not, join CCM to be picked to represent NGOs.

“I was selected by CCM women wing (UWT) and CCM under the category of NGOs and those who claim that they do not recognise me, should register themselves with the party and it’s women wing to be picked in other nominations,” shouted Rita.

She further said that CCM women wing felt the need for women NGOs to have someone to represent and speak for them and decided to establish the category. The nominees were supposed to be members of CCM women wing and the party,” she added.

“This procedures does not include all NGOs; only those dealing with women’s welfare and are registered,” she said.

Mlaki said those who claimed that they were not involved should know the procedures before making any complaints which are unnecessary.

“CCM women wing chairperson and her team travelled all over the country encouraging women to apply for the post, but only seven aspirants came forward,” she explained adding: “The nominee must be an active member of CCM women wing and CCM with a good history.”

Mlaki stressed that she was planning to knock at Tango and the Tanzania Media Women Association (Tamwa) offices for a chat with them, to listen to what they have in mind for her to present them in parliament.

“But these allegations have disappointed me,” she said.

Rita said that her own NGO knowns as Neema Education Development Trust which owns a school and a fund which supports girl’s education gave her a chance to represent NGOs in Parliament.

For her part, Anna Abdallah, dismissed Tango complaints as misplaced.

“I was chosen by CCM NGOs. To which party do their NGOs belong?” asked Anna Abdallah.

“I am a UWT and CCM member and I was selected on the UWT platform to represent NGOs. I don’t understand where those allegations came from,” she said.

Tango Policy and Advocacy officer, Ngunga Tepani alleged that as an apex body of NGOs, it was not involved in the selection of the two MPs, claiming he did not understand which NGOs the two CCM special seats MPs represented.

“We are not informed of the process of getting special seats candidates from NGOs, which are members of Tango. Maybe they were picked from NGOs owned by the ruling party,” said Tepani, adding:

“In short, we don’t recognise them (Rita Mlaki and Anna Abdallah) because they were nominated without involving the NGOs.”

Meanwhile former Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) chairperson for women council, Leticia Ghati Musori has defected to the NCCR-Mageuzi, claiming that her former party leaders did not work out a fair system of picking candidates for the women special seats. She blamed the party’s top leaders for distorting the whole democratic process of getting the candidates in the party.